Some not-so-distant history is working against BYU as the No. 14 Cougars (5-0) come off their bye week and look ahead to Saturday’s 2 p.m. kickoff with the Arizona Wildcats at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
The last time BYU was 5-0, the then-No. 10 Cougars were riding high after wins over Arizona, Utah, Arizona State, USF and Utah State when the turnover bug bit on Oct. 9, 2019, and they were upset 26-17 by an unranked Boise State team that was 2-3 entering the rivalry matchup.
Jaren Hall threw for 302 yards, but four turnovers doomed BYU to its first of three losses that year.
The last time BYU had a bye, after beating Cincinnati 35-27 in Provo on Sept. 29, 2023, it lost some of that momentum as it headed off to Fort Worth, Texas, the following week and was walloped 44-11 by so-so TCU.
Of course, this is a different BYU team than the one that faltered in 2023 after a 4-1 start, or the one in 2021 that had defeated Utah, Arizona State and USF at home, Arizona in Las Vegas, and Utah State in Logan.
This team has won with outstanding defense and just enough offense, particularly against SMU and Baylor. That defense will be tested Saturday at LES as Arizona brings plenty of offensive weapons into Provo.
Arizona (3-2, 1-1) downed No. 16 Utah 23-10 the last time it was in the Beehive State, but couldn’t duplicate that stingy defensive performance late Saturday night at home, falling 28-22 to new Big 12 leader Texas Tech (5-1, 3-0).
Tahj Brooks ran for 128 yards and scored three TDs for the Red Raiders, who are now atop the Big 12 standings but aren’t scheduled to play BYU this season.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita was 28 of 49 for 301 yards and no touchdowns, with two interceptions. His favorite target, future NFL receiver Tetairoa McMillan, caught eight passes for 161 yards and almost single-handedly kept Arizona in the game, along with Fifita and running back Quali Conley, who rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown.
So Jay Hill’s much-improved defense has its work cut out for it. And Aaron Roderick’s offense needs to duplicate its play in the first half against Baylor, and not the second half, when it mustered just a field goal in the 34-28 win.
A year after struggling to stay inside the top 100 defensively, BYU is among the top 25 in several key defensive statistics nationally, including team passing efficiency defense (5th), passes intercepted (13th), scoring defense (17th) and total defense (21st).
The Cougars are tied for 59th in team sacks, with 10, after getting 11 all of last year. They are tied for 77th in team tackles for loss, with 27.
“I think it is a combination of a bunch of factors,” said coach Kalani Sitake last Monday. “We have a great coaching staff on offense and defense and special teams. The key is having a lot of veteran players help us out, too, leaders. And in Year Two of the system, they are understanding it now. .. Yeah, it is working really nicely right now.”
BYU’s defense has remained healthy, for the most part. Starting linebacker Harrison Taggart got dinged up against Baylor and left the game in the first half, but Sitake said the Oregon transfer will be available this week.
BYU’s offense has seen its share of injuries, most notably to running backs LJ Martin, Hinckley Ropati, Sione I. Moa and Enoch Nawahine and to starting center Connor Pay. Sitake said all the RBs will be available against Arizona, but that Pay is out after sustaining an injury against Baylor.
Pay told the “Locked on Cougars” podcast that he fractured a bone in his left foot, and is hoping to be back for the Utah game on Nov. 9 in Salt Lake City. Sonny Makasini will presumably fill in for Pay again, as he did last Saturday, but that requires more shuffling because the redshirt sophomore was the starting right guard.
“We have capable players. It is just a matter of what gives us the best five, and who is the one that is going to be snapping the ball,” Sitake said. “We have some depth there. Offensive line coach TJ (Woods) will figure it out, and I trust him.”
Sitake said the “whole team getting better” was the primary objective last week, a week that was greatly needed to heal up guys and get them refocused on the task at hand.
“We just gotta trust the guys to get the job done, and trust our coaches to do it,” Sitake said.
The coach said quarterback Jake Retzlaff is “doing a great job” and working well with the other QBs in the group. Retzlaff is tied for 18th nationally in passing touchdowns, with 12, and BYU is 22nd in red zone offense.
“In terms of the offense, I think (Retzlaff) is really starting to come into his own. So I feel really comfortable with everything, the timing of all of it. He can get better. But I like where he is at right now. And I like where his mindset is at. I look forward to seeing great things from him,” Sitake said.
“We asked him to do a little bit more running in the last game, especially in the first half. So he is going to do whatever it takes. I like the dynamic of that quarterback room. I like having Gerry (Bohanon) there, with his experience, and McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet and the rest of the group.”
The Cougars moved from No. 17 to No. 14 in the Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday. BYU has been in the top 15 at one point in four of the last five seasons.
Three other Big 12 teams are also ranked: No. 11 Iowa State, No. 16 Utah and No. 18 Kansas State. SMU checked in at No. 25 after its upset of No. 22 Louisville.
Cougars on the air
Arizona (3-2, 1-1) at No. 14 BYU (5-0, 2-0)
• Saturday, 2 p.m. MDT
• At LaVell Edwards Stadium (Capacity: 62,073)
• Provo, Utah
• TV: FOX
• Radio: 102.7 FM/1160 AM
